Wait For Me
by EilonwyCousland QueenofTragedy
Summary: A One-shot that takes place very soon after The Way It Once Was, after Ely and Nate are engaged. Sweet, cute, romancey fluff stuff. Way of Thedas universe. XD


Dirt pressed into Eilonwy's back. She moaned and arched, meeting Nathaniel's thrusts. She looked into his gray eyes, and her breath caught her throat. He grinned at her, that customary smirk she knew so well.

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. Suddenly they heard footsteps and they both froze. No one should be down here. They were in the secret tunnels that flowed underneath Redcliffe castle. Nathaniel had stolen the key from Teagan. Again.

Eilonwy's eyes were wide. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.

Nate pressed a finger to her lips and then leaned on his elbows over her. His chest was a less than an inch from her face and she couldn't take her eyes off the small patch of hair that was growing there. Ely let out a slow and quiet breath and the hairs moved.

Nathaniel scowled. "If you do that, it's hard to keep quiet, Ely," he whispered.

Eilonwy crinkled her nose and blew a soft breath against his skin, causing him to shiver. "Do you want us to get caught?" Nathaniel asked with amusement.

Ely stuck out her chin defiantly. "I don't care. We're engaged. Our families approve. Why does it matter?" she countered.

"Well, there's the fact your father would kill me if he knew I deflowered his little pup before the nuptials," he answered wryly. He kissed the tip of her nose and she frowned.

"Deflowered? Ugh. To think, I'm willing to marry you when you call our love-making that," she returned, her light blue eyes shining in the candlelight.

Nate smirked. "Love? Is that what you call this, then? Here I thought you just wanted my body."

She smacked his chest with her fist and he grunted in mock-pain. "Jerk," she muttered.

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "Ah Ely, do you want me to tell you how much I love you again? Must you ask that I demasculinize myself further for you?" he faked a sigh and laid a hand on her cheek. "I need you more than my air needs lungs. I love you more than the moss loves the stone," he said, jokingly, staring into her eyes. He grabbed her hand and placed it over his chest. He continued, this time more seriously. "Do you feel that, Ely? It's my heart, pounding out of control. Because of you."

She blushed, and he smiled. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He wanted to make every moment with Ely last as long as possible. They only had a month left. One month, and he would have to leave her. He wished to the Void he could bring her with, but Teyrn Cousland would never allow his little girl to wander the Free Marches.

"Dammit, Howe," they heard.

Nathaniel froze, covering what he could of Ely's body with his own. He looked over and saw Dairren standing there and breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't Fergus, this time.

"I thought you two would be down here," he continued. "You forgot to lock the cellar door behind you."

Eilonwy sighed heavily. "Shit," she whispered. "Wonderful. You found us. What do you want, Dairren?"

Dairren rolled his eyes and leaned against a dirt wall. "Your father is looking for you. Seems he wants you and Nathaniel to attend some engagement ball in Denerim next week," he replied.

Eilonwy groaned. "I hate dancing," she mumbled.

Nate chuckled. "I'm not sure, but I feel like I should be concerned with the fact that you're not concerned with Dairren being here," he said dryly.

Eilonwy closed her eyes. "Shit," she repeated. "Dairren, go away," she groaned.

Dairren looked at the two, upper lip slightly curled. "Oh, don't be gross. I don't even like breasts," he replied. "You should be more worried about me seeing your man's fine rear end."

Eilonwy scowled. "Go. Away," she said between clenched teeth.

Nathaniel laughed. "Get a good look in, Dairren. I get the feeling my future wife isn't the sharing sort," he quipped.

Eilonwy smacked him again. "Nathaniel Howe!"

Dairren laughed. "I'm going, I'm going. Just hurry up before your father comes looking," he said as he turned away.

Nathaniel sighed and waited until the red-headed squire was gone from view and then sat up. "Looks like we'll have to cut this short," he said, voice low.

Ely frowned. "Do you really have to go?"

He shrugged. "If we don't, your father will just come looking for us," he replied.

She shook her head, her long black hair fanning out as she sat up. "That's not what I meant," she replied.

Nathaniel's eyes widened in understanding. "Ah. You mean to the Free Marches?" He sighed and kissed her forehead, her fringe bangs tasting like soap and dirt, from the tunnel. He smiled and nuzzled her ear.

"I'll hardly be gone long at all," he assured.

She pushed at his chest and grabbed her clothes. She pulled them on gruffly, frowning hard. When she was dressed she stood up and glared down at a confused Nathaniel as he quickly pulled on his breeches.

She huffed and turned away, marching down the tunnel, leaving Nate to hurry after her, tugging on his undershirt as he went.

"Andraste's ass, what now?" he asked, grabbing her arm.

She turned and glared up him. "You're not even going to miss me," she said, her voice softer than she had meant. She had meant to shout or growl, to sound angry. Not hurt or vulnerable.

Nathaniel's eyebrows went up. "I'm not? What? Don't be stupid," he replied. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her close. "Silly girl. Everyday is going to be agony away from you. How could you imagine it would be anything else?"

Eilonwy frowned and leaned her forehead against his chest. "You're not going to find some prettier?" she mumbled.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her. "Not a chance. You're stuck with me, now," he mumbled into her hair. "Wait for me, Ely. Can you promise me that?"

Ely nodded and dried her eyes on his tunic. "Stupid. Of course."


End file.
